>> normally the vice presidential debates are not that key, but now all eyes will be on joe biden to show that he can do a better job than his boss, if you will, president obama against paul ryan and this will be a tough debate. i've been told david axelrod had been planning to take charge of the debate camp, and now he is in charge with the vice president's team. >> andrea mitchell, thank you. >> you bet. >>> another story we're following tonight, gas prices. they're dropping across much of the country which make the soaring increases in california all the more startling. the average price there $4.61 for a gallon of regular, the highest it's ever been. nbc's diana alviar. >> reporter: prices like these make californians consider staying at home. >> it costs $105 to fill up my tank report report it climbed 12 cents overnight to $4.61. that matches the state record set in june 2008. it's as high as $5 at a few stations in the state. the national average is lower, $3.81 a gallon, but still, the highest ever for this time of year. and yet, prices are beginning to fall across the countr